I have a ICOM M802, I have been struggeling to learn how to use it, I have tuned to all the weather, bbc, etc channels trying to see if its working properly. The signal meter shows 3 bars but all I get is white noise, I have yet to get any kind of voce transmission yet, searching all the channels. Im in a marina in Kemah TX, we have about 700 sailboats is it possible that I cant receive a signal in the marina? Any way to do a radio check of some kind.
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Yeah, it is a problem getting a radio check on the SSB, especially if you are limited to the marine frequencies. The issue is not a lot of boats are equipped with an SSB radio, so most of my contacts have been on the ham side. However, I can give it a try this weekend from California if you like to try.
The masts in the marina can interfer with your signal getting out. But with a 150 watts, you should be able to get out.
BTW, there is an SSB and Ham radio group. You have to sign up on the site and then join the Social Group. Great place to get answers to any questions you may have.
The masts in the marina can interfer with your signal getting out. But with a 150 watts, you should be able to get out.
BTW, there is an SSB and Ham radio group. You have to sign up on the site and then join the Social Group. Great place to get answers to any questions you may have.
Reply to the icom m802 post
Sure, by the way I owned a 40.5 (1995) from new for 13 years. Great boat.
Re: Reply to the icom m802 post
Not a problem. Is there a time you would be at your boat this weekend? I should be there on Saturday, for most of the day. If there is a time, I can post it with the group and there might be more ears out there to hear.
Not a problem. Is there a time you would be at your boat this weekend? I should be there on Saturday, for most of the day. If there is a time, I can post it with the group and there might be more ears out there to hear.
The M802 SSB transceiver is an engineering marvel and the Lexus of marine HF gear for sailors. I installed mine on my H-376 and it has worked as advertised affording contacts with cruisers in the Atlantic, US, and Europe. I suspect that you maybe experiencing a problem with your installation and/or you are operating on the correct frequencies but at times when other stations aren't on. It is aslo possible that radio propgation was insufficient for communications at the time of your operation.
In order to solve your problem I suggest you do the following: 1) recheck your installation; 2) check out the ICOM website for installation and operation tips; 3) order the SSB installation and programming guide available from Dockside Radio www.docksideradio.com and ensure you follow the suggested guidelines; and finally 4) please read my article: " A winning Strategy: Passagemaking Communications that Work" which will be in the Feb-March issue of Ocean Navigator Magazine on sale at US newstands and West Marine within the next week or so. In particular, the article explains in plain English how to successfully use your marine SSB radio. It should help you get the most out of the superb piece of equipment you have while taking advantage of existing shortwave radio propagation. The article is in part based on decades of personal experience building/installing/operating SSB amateur radio stations. I am an FCC licensed ham and also have marine and aeronautical radio operator licenses.
I hope this helps.
Curt Morris
s/v Smooth Operator
In order to solve your problem I suggest you do the following: 1) recheck your installation; 2) check out the ICOM website for installation and operation tips; 3) order the SSB installation and programming guide available from Dockside Radio www.docksideradio.com and ensure you follow the suggested guidelines; and finally 4) please read my article: " A winning Strategy: Passagemaking Communications that Work" which will be in the Feb-March issue of Ocean Navigator Magazine on sale at US newstands and West Marine within the next week or so. In particular, the article explains in plain English how to successfully use your marine SSB radio. It should help you get the most out of the superb piece of equipment you have while taking advantage of existing shortwave radio propagation. The article is in part based on decades of personal experience building/installing/operating SSB amateur radio stations. I am an FCC licensed ham and also have marine and aeronautical radio operator licenses.
I hope this helps.
Curt Morris
s/v Smooth Operator
Hey, Curt:
...just saw this in Lats & Atts. What is your take on this SSB ground?
http://kiss-ssb.com/index.html
...just saw this in Lats & Atts. What is your take on this SSB ground?
http://kiss-ssb.com/index.html
Well, Don, I have had nothing but problems with my ground. It is copper foil run from the laz where the tuner is through the boat to the keel bolt. It may be OK, but I have three splices in it where a combination of myself and boat mechanics have cut the foil. Another option is to just run foil to the raw water intake through hull. This option looked pretty slick and less delicate. However, my ground may be working OK; there isn't a lot of SSB traffic to check; the marine telephone operator doesn't seem reliable, and trying to test in a city marina isn't the best anyhow. I have gotten out a couple of hundred miles from the slip during less than ideal conditions but nothing greater.
Rick, there was a couple that used this on their boat, and it worked well. From what I was told, it is about as good as running foil to a thru hull.
I ran my foil to the raw water intake to the engine. I figured that this thru hull would be in the water at all times. If it was out of the water, I was either hauled out or in big trouble! It took about 20 minutes to run, going under the flooring over the holding tank, through the engine compartment on the starboard side and under the bunk. With this arrangement, my furthest contact was Northern Italy, but on the ham side.
Cost $145 plus shipping for the KISS.
The 802 does fine, and is designed to be used for both Ham and SSB. Does the job a lot better than the 710, although I know a lot of people that use the 710 on Ham with a lot of sucess. You just have to get use to no VFO control. Guess it is time to break out the checkbook and get a new radio! I think you would really like the 802.
The Kiss SSB Ground
I talked to the company about their ground counterpoise Kiss-SSB earlier this week.
In response to my questions, their representative told me they have created quarter-wave counterpoises to work as the ground for a marine/ham backstay or whip antenna on a fiberglass boat. The electrically resonant counterpoises are contained in a 10 foot, one inch diameter flexible rubber tube. According to the man I talked to, connection of the counterpoise kit to the ground lug on your antenna tuner should allow your radio/tuner combination to better match the antenna. A Field test done between a boat off California and two moored next to each other at an island in the South Pacific showed the Kiss counterpoise grounded rig to have a superior signal. Both boats were using an ICOM 802 and backstay antennas. When the counterpoise was added to the ground system of the boat with the weaker signal, its signal strength improved. Tests were reportedly run within minutes of each other.
I have not actually used the Kiss system to verify how good it is. But, I can say in terms of radio theory, and as described by the company representative, the system should work . In grounding my own Icom M-802 I have found that maximizing the use of copper foil below the sole plus a dynaplate improved my radio signal. I suspect that adding the Kiss system would improve it even more.
Curt Morris
s/v Smooth Operator
Rick,
I talked to the company about their ground counterpoise Kiss-SSB earlier this week.
In response to my questions, their representative told me they have created quarter-wave counterpoises to work as the ground for a marine/ham backstay or whip antenna on a fiberglass boat. The electrically resonant counterpoises are contained in a 10 foot, one inch diameter flexible rubber tube. According to the man I talked to, connection of the counterpoise kit to the ground lug on your antenna tuner should allow your radio/tuner combination to better match the antenna. A Field test done between a boat off California and two moored next to each other at an island in the South Pacific showed the Kiss counterpoise grounded rig to have a superior signal. Both boats were using an ICOM 802 and backstay antennas. When the counterpoise was added to the ground system of the boat with the weaker signal, its signal strength improved. Tests were reportedly run within minutes of each other.
I have not actually used the Kiss system to verify how good it is. But, I can say in terms of radio theory, and as described by the company representative, the system should work . In grounding my own Icom M-802 I have found that maximizing the use of copper foil below the sole plus a dynaplate improved my radio signal. I suspect that adding the Kiss system would improve it even more.
Curt Morris
s/v Smooth Operator
Curt
I guess I'm too skeptical but I wonder if they explained how a
"quarter-wave counterpoises... The electrically resonant counterpoises are contained in a 10 foot..."
could be a resonant length on various ham/marine frequencies.
Among the issues I can imagine are:
Are there an infinite number of discrete wires in the tube?
Are their traps to make a 10 ft wire appear electrically longer?
What precludes parasitic interactions between the wires in 10 ft. counterpoise tube?
Certainly an effective counterpoise is essential but there are some fundamental obstacles this seems to either ignore or have somehow surmounted. I guess if I was that curious, I could simply call myself so I my point here is only to raise some concerns for anyone seriously considering purchasing something that seems to me to be dubious.
I guess I'm too skeptical but I wonder if they explained how a
"quarter-wave counterpoises... The electrically resonant counterpoises are contained in a 10 foot..."
could be a resonant length on various ham/marine frequencies.
Among the issues I can imagine are:
Are there an infinite number of discrete wires in the tube?
Are their traps to make a 10 ft wire appear electrically longer?
What precludes parasitic interactions between the wires in 10 ft. counterpoise tube?
Certainly an effective counterpoise is essential but there are some fundamental obstacles this seems to either ignore or have somehow surmounted. I guess if I was that curious, I could simply call myself so I my point here is only to raise some concerns for anyone seriously considering purchasing something that seems to me to be dubious.
Very pleased with the kiss-ssb
We bought one of the kiss-ssb counterpoise and am very happy with it. It is so nice to get rid of that ugly copper, we had nearly 60 feet of the stuff going to a thru-hull. After a 500 mile contact we were told of a great signal and our radio showed a big improvement on the meter both with watts and the SWR. After we have been so brainwashed on the voodoo of what the SSB needs, it is nice to see "simple" work so well, and the confusion of so many opinions to also start to come together. Just like their webpage says, it is in Icom's tuner manual. The unit would appear that there are many hundred feet of different lengths of copper wires just coiled inside the tube housing. Now I wish I could get my Yanmar to work just as well.
We bought one of the kiss-ssb counterpoise and am very happy with it. It is so nice to get rid of that ugly copper, we had nearly 60 feet of the stuff going to a thru-hull. After a 500 mile contact we were told of a great signal and our radio showed a big improvement on the meter both with watts and the SWR. After we have been so brainwashed on the voodoo of what the SSB needs, it is nice to see "simple" work so well, and the confusion of so many opinions to also start to come together. Just like their webpage says, it is in Icom's tuner manual. The unit would appear that there are many hundred feet of different lengths of copper wires just coiled inside the tube housing. Now I wish I could get my Yanmar to work just as well.
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